Jeremy Pruitt is off to a great start as head coach at the University of Tennessee. I’m not talking about him winning the press conference, which almost every new coach does. Or the 20th-ranked recruiting class just signed, which makes the Vols 8th in the SEC and behind other first-year coaches at Florida and Texas A&M.

The reason I have new-found respect for Pruitt is that he has put an end to those atrocious Smokey Grey uniforms. Pruitt tolk ESPN that Tennessee would wear orange and white uniforms.

That’s a solid decision, considering the official university colors are UT Orange and White.

Pruitt has been an Alabama fan, player and assistant coach for almost his entire life. So he understands and respects what it means to be true to your team colors.

That also means he understands and respects the history and tradition associated with the Tennessee Vols. And none of that history and tradition was built while wearing gimmicky uniforms.

Tennessee isn’t the only school to go this route. Ohio State, one of the few programs with even more football tradition that Tennessee, wore hideous alternate uniforms against rival Michigan. It cheapened that great rivalry when fans turned on the game and didn’t immediately recognize who was playing.

Pruitt may or may not win big at Tennessee, but he’s already begun to restore some of the pride to the program.

For Threaded Fasteners, I’m Randy Kennedy with Nuts and Bolts of the Game.